Richmond Theatre, London.
10 December 2025.
All the magical thrills are present and correct in this fast-paced pantomime with multiple mini-scenes – great for keeping audience’s attentions!
There are certain performers who own the stage as soon as they step on to it and Buttons, played by Charlie Stemp, is one of those hugely charismatic artists. He immediately had the audience playing into his hand and revealed strength after strength as the panto played on. An audience-favourite had him fake-tripping across the stage between the evil sisters and Basil Brush reciting an ever-growing risqué tongue twister.
As the Prince (Tom Major) and Cinderella sat on a wall falling in love over a romantic ballad, a jealous Buttons kept popping up in between them, and in between bricks in the wall, pulling the prince backwards off the wall and clamouring up there himself. A lovely bit of farcical entertainment, during which Cinderella played by Hope Dawe, kept beautifully in character singing of her love for the prince. Well-matched vocals here.
The evil stepsisters didn’t disappoint either. Played by Stephen Guarino and Jak Allen-Anderson, they provided all the grotesque and vulgar energy and dressed in fabulously over the top costumes designed by Teresa Nalton, they gave the audience plenty of opportunities to joyfully boo them. The audience themselves was made up of a range of ages, including lots of excited children’s club outings.
The quirkiness of Cinderella’s father the Baron being played by Basil Brush was an eccentric win that I hadn’t expected to work. He was wheeled on and off stage in a cabinet by members of the ensemble team, dressed in a different costume for each entrance and young audience members squealed at his constant stream of jokes. He offered to lend poor Cinders his brush to help with her work but then noted he was strangely attached to it! The ensemble dancers themselves were impressive; great choreography, bright engaged performances and an array of brilliant costumes including dancing polar bears with their dancers sitting on their shoulders!
The glittering set with plenty of depth – think sparkling archways with a star-studded backdrop – deserves a mention. There were multiple swift scene changes, from the brightly coloured village, to the ball with a grand central staircase, huge windows and pillars. The Fairy Godmother’s entrance to the stage each time was announced by the pop of a sparkling pyro and she was full of shine and glamour, played by Call the Midwife actress Helen George, speaking in traditional rhyme and bringing her operatic voice to the songs.
With such a build up to Cinderella getting ready to attend the ball, culminating at the end of Act 1 with a shimmering silver coach and two real white Shetland ponies, the ball itself in Act 2 was over in a blink. Cinderella entered, talked on the balcony with the Prince and all of a sudden the clock struck midnight. A ballroom scene with them dancing together perhaps intercepted by the evil sisters would have felt more fulfilling.
My favourite part was an impromptu dance off between Buttons and Dandini. Dandini, played by Michael Lin, proved himself immediately to be an excellent ballroom dancer, whilst Buttons initially played the joker with action songs like the Macarena. That was until they both broke out into a fabulously stylish Tap duet showing off their skills. Other highlights included the slipper-fitting hunt; ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme a slipper that fits me’ featuring expected funny antics from the evil sisters.
The end fizzled a little after Cinderella had fitted into the missing slipper. There was the extremely entertaining ‘If I were not at Hardup Hall, something else I’d like to be’ slapstick action song, performed by Buttons, Dandini, the Fairy Godmother and the Prince. A stronger tying up of all the ends could have brought the storyline to a satisfying close before the finale. But go and watch Cinderella for a fantastic glittery night at the theatre, full of silly fun, catchy tunes and eye-catching dancing. It is polished, sprinkled with essential intentional mistakes, and loads of family jokes with double entendrés. What’s not to like here – have a great run Richmond!
By Louise Ryrie of Dance Informa.
